Tuesday 16 August 2011

Sea Legs

Shags, Llyn Peninsular
Whilst away on the Llyn Peninsular last week we ventured out on a wildlife cruise from Pwllheli Harbour, the trip was run by Shearwater Coastal Cruises (for details click or see the end of the post) and really is a must if you are spending time in the area. The cruises encounter regular Bottlenose Dolphins and on many occasions if they are not feeding they will join the boat and ride the waves on the bow, yet alas I was not in luck this time, but they do provide up to date photo diaries of all the dolphins they encounter on board..........bit of a kick in the face but never mind!

Grey Seal, Llyn Peninsular
imm Shags, Llyn Peninsular
Yet the trip still was successful with very close groups of Grey Seals, feeding Gannets and Sandwich Terns, Manx Shearwaters, and large numbers of Shags which included nursery groups of immature birds; I had never heard of this behaviour before but the adults and immatures seem to totally remove themselves from each other (check out the disgusted look on the faces of the left hand birds above!), Kittiwakes where still breeding on the cliffs, as where Cormorants, we where to late to catch up with other breeding sea birds such as the four breeding species of Auk as they will have left the cliffs around two weeks previously and headed out to sea. But if you did use this service in June and July you would undoubtedly be treated to close up views. 2 Chough, and a family group of hunting Peregrines over the sea cliffs rounded the day off nicely.

Juv Kittiwake, Llyn Peninsular
The trip is run by Shearwater Coastal Criuises, 01758612251 or 07815717241, alan@shearwatercruises.com

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